Welcome to RockSquawk.com, magical web portal to Albuquerque’s local music scene. Come here to find out when local shows are happening, post your own shows, look for a new band member, discuss your amp, trade equipment or
gossip with other musicians.
Anyone can participate.To request a forum for your music project, post the name in the Rules and How to Join forum under "New Forum/Mod Rights Requests"
Blackbird Buvette serves up an inaugural springtime rock and roll bash on its tiny back porch. It’s pretty cramped, but it’s as close to a DIY basement show as you can get … while having drinks served. This show is a who’s-who of the best garage rockers still standing (no overdoses or wheelchairs). Drum legend Joe Bolt debuts The Blackout Disciples' dark and dirty rock sans evil posturing. Other Dirty Novels alums—Dandee Fleming and Brian Keith—and Demarcus Sumter (St. Petersburg), Billy Miles Brooke (Pan!c) and Ben Woods (Porter Draw) make up the group. Punk and roll outfit Get Action (formerly Riley Switch) features bad boy Bill Bunting (Ten Seconds to Liftoff), Scott Brown (Song Thing) and Ashley Floyd and Jeff Jones (both ex-Gracchi). Newcomers Hoverbourd tag themselves as surf-indie-dance-rock, and that works for me, especially with a horn thrown into the mix. Despite bountiful local talent, I’m most excited about Schwervon! from Shawnee, Kan., by way of New York City. Now in their 13th year, guitarist Major Matt Mason and drummer Nan Turner’s music ranges from sweet jangle-pop to ear-shattering racket. Keep a few bucks stashed in your wallet to score Schwervon! merch, including the brilliant, new Courage and '09’s sweet and lilting Low Blow. Blackbird Buvette • Wed May 15 • 10 pm • free • View on Alibi calendar
Depending on your aural upbringing and age, the term "grunge" may conjure up wildly divergent things. Read all about Alibi Copy Editor/Staff Writer Mark Lopez's romance with the Seattle sound in Seattle Wall of Sound: A paean to grunge. For me, Nirvana's Bleach was revelatory; Lopez prefers In Utero. Exploring difference is fun, no? In honor of this myriad genre, I compiled an hour-long grunge-tastic playlist for our dear readers, featuring tracks by: Flipper, L7, Babes in Toyland, 7 Year Bitch, Hole, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Tad, Wool, Melvins, Sleep Capsule, Coffin Break, Soundgarden, Killdozer, Pixies, The Breeders and Green River. Stream it below. Less-than-fresh coiffures, well-worn flannel and Dr. Martens are optional.
The classic date of yore? A cozy supper place featuring a floor show. This Friday Rebekkah Dreskin invites you to a similarly catered affair. Dine on platters from Panda Express (served at 6 pm) followed promptly by her quirky (“Love Is A Stolen Bowling Ball”) and playful (“Dim Sum In Albuquerque”) songs. Picture Jill Sobule moving between keyboards and a programmed synth beats while throwing down rhymes about hooking up with pretty boys and girls or aspiring to be like Liz Phair and Chrissie Hynde (“Girls With Guitarz”). Her latest, sunny self-release, Blame It On Rebekkah, sits in stark contrast to earlier CDs of piano-based love and loss in a low-key Tori Amos vein. But just because Dreskin’s a bit more lighthearted this time around doesn’t mean she’s not putting all of her singular self into the work. Ten bucks gets you dinner and a show while a fiver is good for admission only. Low Spirits • Rebekkah Dreskin CD release • Fri Mar 29 • 6 pm • $5-$10 • 21+ • lowspiritslive.com
One of most exciting opportunities afforded me by working as the Alibi music editor is soliciting work from writers/artists whose work I deeply admire. Sure, I would have gotten a kick out of chatting with Billy Bragg, but I know someone with a deeper connection to him. That someone is Tannex midwife, ABQ Zine Fest founder, sound artist and storyteller Marya Errin Jones. Read her poignant essay on him, Bragging Rites, to see what I mean. Check out B.B. A/V below. KiMo Theatre • Billy Bragg • Kim Churchill • Sun Mar 24 • 7:30 pm • $26-$35 • ALL-AGES! • kimotickets.com
There are more boss concerts coming up than you can shake a stick at. We took a stab at it anyway. But what about the stuff there just wasn't enough dead tree space to explore? Of primary importance is the 42nd Annual John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium, which happens Sunday, March 24, through Wednesday, March 27. Celebrating the centenary of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, special guest composers and performers include wireless controller-obsessed Duo X, Italian pianist Emanuele Arciuli and local Sunday favorites Chatter, and they're demoing Robb's Moog Synthesizer this year. For the full schedule, visit the trust's site: robbtrust.org
But experimental and classical composition isn't all our fair city has on offer this week. Whether you're into hip-hop, horrorcore, pornocore, strings, Zimbabwean spirituals or songs written by women, Music to Your Ears has you covered. Peep related A/V below. Sister • Kool Keith • Fri Mar 22 • 10 pm • $16 • 21+ • sisterthebar.com
DJ, DIY promoter and music writer Derek Caterwaul joins live music fanatic Mike Smith in providing Alibi readers with 505 music scene reportage. Between these two cats, our readers are getting the best that Albuquerque music journalism has to offer. Read all about it in the inaugural mega-installment of MAXIMUMCATERWAUL. Scope related A/V below.
The Lord Dog Bird - "The Gift of Song in the Lion's Den"
Caethua - "Sons of the Hounds"
James Kalm on Brion Gysin's Dream Machine exhibit at the New Museum
Yours truly listened to the forthcoming full-length from The Haxan Cloak, the debut of Chelsea Light Moving (Thurston Moore's new vehicle) and the long-awaited solo debut of Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr. Learn what thrilled and what bored me in this week's Sonic Reducer. Peep related A/V below.
The Haxan Cloak - "The Mirror Reflecting (Part 2)"
If y'all missed last night's sets by Maserati (at Sister) and Sad Baby Wolf (at Launchpad), don't fret, 'cause there's a whole lot more SXABQ goodness from whence that came. Tonight, The After After Show with Steven Michael Quezada house band/alt.soul outfit The James Douglas Show plays itself over Tejas way at Low Spirits (2823 Second Street NW), along with Lovers & Madmen, Christopher Leyva's Falling Doves, A House for Lions and Jack Littman. Sunday night finds Parenthetical Girls, Decker, Field Tripp, PALMS, Jared & the Mill and Red Light Cameras bringing the fest feel to Low Spirits. For those who find themselves in a midweek slump, Fort Hobo and Roñoso host Seattle powerviolence duo Iron Lung at Synchro Studio (512-B Yale SE) on Wednesday. Scope the deets in this week's Music to Your Ears. Peep relevant A/V below. Low Spirits • The James Douglas Show • Lovers & Madmen • Christopher Leyva's Falling Doves • A House for Lions • Jack Littman • Sat March 9 • 8 pm • $10 • 21+ • lowspiritslive.com
Whatever your aural mood, there's bound to be a show happening—on this night in this town—that'll suit your fancy. If you need a refresher on tonight's hybrid instrument smorgasbord, aka A Cabinet of Curiosities, at The Kosmos, peep A Cure for Stockhausen Syndrome and/or this blog. If you're frustrated by the inherent limitations of dead tree space, check out an up-to-the-minute Saturday night show list below. Rock on, y'all.
• Arkansan swampy-folk soul/songwriter Adam Faucett emotes tonight at an all-ages show at The Glitter Factory (2127 Silver SE), along with Carlosaur and The Alchemists. 7 p.m. $5.
• Pay tribute to inimitable local musician Eric Johnson's life by raising money for Casa Esperanza at The Texas Independence Day Party, happening tonight at the Albuquerque Press Club (201 Highland Park Circle). Consume armadillo eggs and Lone Stars while Big Sad Guy, Edith Grove, The Handsome Family, Next Three Miles, Saltine Ramblers, Wildewood, Double Plow, The Jake Leg Three and The Old Main tickle your ears pink. 4 p.m.'til 1 a.m. $25 per person, or $40 a couple. For more info, click.
• Roc the Mic 13—which Alibi columnist Mike Smith wrote about in this week's installment of Last Month in Music—goes down tonight at Evolution Nightclub (6132 Fourth Street NW). 8 p.m. Learn more here.
• Move your body to Gavin Russom's EDM orchestra The Crystal Ark and Rand Larzeny at Sister (409 Central NW) this evening. 9 p.m. 21+. $10. Get tickets here.
• Desert surf purveyor Phantom Lake soundtracks The Mask of the Red Death Masquerade Ball at ArtBar (119 Gold SW) tonight. 9 p.m. 21+. $10.
• Santa Fe-based singer/songwriter (and, yes, former Angry Samoan) Gregg Turner performs at No Fun Dance Party tonight at Blackbird Buvette (509 Central NW). Satellite Sky and DJs Bea and Ms. Stoche spin garage, soul and rock and roll. 10 p.m. 21+. No cover.
GMOs are supposed to freak you out, but hybrid instruments merely demonstrate artists' unwillingness to be restrained by the musical status quo. In this week's music feature, A Cure for Stockhausen Syndrome, DJ/DIY mainstay/music writer Derek Caterwaul brings us up to speed on Manny Rettinger's chuppers, hybrid musical instruments that each boast not only their own ambiance, but even individual personalities. As Caterwaul notes, attending Cabinet of Curiosities on Saturday may give you a whole new set of ears. Scope related A/V below. The Kosmos • A Cabinet of Curiosities • UBIK Sound • Carmina Escobar • Marisa Demarco • Monica Demarco • Drake Hardin • Martian Funk • Sat March 2 • 7:30 pm • $7 • ALL-AGES!
Electric Ensemble & the Chuppers - The Chuppers UBIK Sessions
